Bart and Brandy

Happy New Year!

2012-01-08T13:33:00.001-08:00

The start of a NEW YEAR always brings to mind resolutions and new beginings. The shameful date of my last post tells me I have one resolution that needs to make the list. In order to capture 2011 before it disappears from our memories, here is a look at some of the year's highlights for our family. And because I only made it to Thanksgiving of 2010, I start with Christmas of that year. It seems daunting, I know, but the pictures can be really cute! Happy catching up!

Christmas 2010

Genny, a proud pre-schooler then, brought home a beautiful gingerbread house she made in class.

Baking and decorating Christmas cookies proved to be perfect Family Home Evening fun!

This is what outside looked liked in December of 2010. Not so much as a flake for Christmas in 2011!

Christmas Eve Jammies and Slippers. Mommy went all matchy, matchy on us.

Family feet! Even Mom and Dad got slippers!

As Bart worked to put a sprinkler system in our dirt filled backyard, the kids played and enjoyed the early Spring air.

Alex developed quite a love and addiction for sports. "I shoo-ing hoops!", he'd tell us.

Cross your fingers and pray it works! (It did.) Great job Bart!

Easter 2011

Easter Morning brought bright beautiful baskets...

and a lovely time at church. I just love Easter and all it stands for. I'm grateful to know that we all have a loving Savior in Jesus Christ.

His second most meaningful achievement! Winning the Elder's Quorum Pinewood Derby!

The First? Winning the Sportsmanship award when he was a boy at his 1st Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. He lost every race he was in at that derby, but still excitedly cheered on his friends. That's my hubby!

After purchasing TONS of dirt to fill in the yard, new sprinklers, and fencing, we were gifted some used curbing from our friends. This is my new flower bed.

The new garden space with a designated area for Rhubarb and Herbs.

And a curb-line to separate the lawn from the trees about to go in.

The lawn is here! The kids and their friends were in awe as they watched the grass be unloaded from the BIG truck. I have to admit, it was pretty cool to watch!

Bart getting ready to lay the sod. Many thanks to all the neighbors, friends, and my brother who came and helped with that project!

The kids and their friends wasted NO time getting on that grass and playing!

Finally! A safe, level, and BEAUTIFUL backyard for our family to play in. There are still a few other projects to be done, but the big ones are checked off the list!

Bart had several trips that took him to some cool places this year. Most of them work related, but not always full of work, as you will see. His first destination this year was to a place he goes fairly often. Good old CHINA. He actually got to go see the Great Wall this time. It was very fun for him.

Pretty amazing!

The wall's not bad either. ;)

After Dad got home, we took a day trip with the kids.

The Living Planet Aquarium was fun for all.

At least, I THINK we had fun. Yep! We did!

We also had a nice trip up to Uncle Benson and Aunt Tonya's house. We got to be there for our cousin's baptism.

We have so much fun together!

On the way home, we got to stop and stretch our legs while we visited the Rexburg Temple. How gorgeous is that!?

Then our cousin came for a fun week-long sleepover! What beautiful girls! They MUST be related.

We decided to wait till she's grown to tell her the rest of her family went to Disney World.

SHHH!

The next "work" destination landed Bart at the beautiful Pebble Beach for a weekend of golf.

Just look at him hard at work! Must be rough, but someone's gotta do it.

After Daddy's return, the best little boy we know had his birthday!

Turning 2 deserves BIG KISSES!

Enjoying his new birthday gift.

Like Father like Son!

July proved to be a VERY busy month for us. Not only did Bart have his Pebble Beach trip, and Alex have his birthday, we traveled to Fort Stevens in Oregon to camp-out with the rest of the Taylor clan for the Taylor Family Reunion.

Yes, Bart does come from good stock.

We had so much fun playing games and NOT singing around the campfire.

(That last part is an inside joke for the camp attenders.)

All of the 2-3 year old girls wore the jammies Grandma B had sent for Christmas! It wasn't planned, but it made for some great memories.

Along with all the other July born folks at camp, Mommy got a party and decorations on her tent for her birthday!

And a day at the beach, playing in the sand and being chased by the waves. It was a great birthday!

The rest of the summer looked pretty much like this. Just kickin' around not doing too much except enjoying the last days of summer.

School Days 2011

Then the big day came for Anna! Her VERY first day of school!

Look out Pre-school! Here I come!

And just in the nick of time for Kindergarten, Genny turns 5!

Such a happy and lovely girl! MAKE A WISH!

Then came Genny's first day of school!

Helloooo Kindergarten! We LOVE her teacher and Genny is thriving.

What's this!? Can't you guess? Another business trip for Bart, of course!

I'm only teasing Bart! I know, there really was business to attend to in San Francisco.

But that doesn't mean you can't take in the scenery while you're there!

The next month Bart received word that his Grandma Rasmussen, in her late 80's, had passed away.

If there's one good part about the passing of a loved one, it is this. The chance to see and catch up with loved ones who also loved Grandma R.

A lovely family, indeed.

Halloween 2011

Meow!

Pretty as a Princess!

Rise and Shout! This Cougar's out!

November meant two fun things for us! Bart's birthday! And a visit from Grandma T!

Bowling for Daddy's birthday was so much fun! Probably most fun for Grandma T as she was able to giggle at all the funny things the kids did.

Having my mom for Thanksgiving was something to be really thankful for! We haven't gotten to cook together like that in years! And just LOOK at that criss-cross pie crust we did together!

Pies are kind of my thing.

Dang, I'm good!

I don't care what anyone says, Turkey in a BAG! Never fails!

We enjoyed a relaxing dinner with my mom, Aunt Sue, and as an added bonus... my brother Ben brought his newly proposed to FIANCE'! Congratulations you two!

Genny proved her rock star reading skills and earned a certificate and free dinner at a restaurant.

(K, I don't really know how well rock stars read, but you get my meaning.)

A chance to dress up? I'm In! We attended a lovely, formal Christmas dinner put on by Bart's company for all of the employees.

It was held at the Grand America Hotel. One of the most beautiful buildings in Utah! The dinner was deliciously divine. And the company was fun and fabulous. I asked our awesome babysitter to take this picture as proof that I actually do get out every now and then. ;) The lovely locks, and latest addition to my collection of hairstyles, were a gift from my mom during her Thanksgiving visit. Thanks again Mom!

It's what we've been waiting for, literally, ALL year long! Anna's birthday!!! On every even numbered birthday, the kids get a party. Turning 4 years old qualifies Anna!

She had a princess pajama party. Not a sleep-over. Just a late-over with pizza, barbie princess movie, and makeovers! Thank you's go to Bart and Heather for their awesome support and help. The party was a hit!

Guess who's back in Asia!

We're trying to figure out why these trips always seem to happen right next to someone's birthday. In fact this one had to be moved around and manipulated so that Bart COULD be home for Anna's birthday. Thanks for making that happen Bart!

K, now I'm just getting jealous.

Daddy made it back with plenty of time for Christmas. So, we hung our stockings with care.

Right to left: Mommy's, Genny's, Daddy's, Anna's, and Alex's. I wonder what they'll be filled with!

Mommy and Daddy helped Santa out a little. However, they also decided that Santa doesn't get credit for the good stuff anymore. That's right! All the good stuff comes from Mom and Dad!

Who do you love now?

Christmas morning! The girls wearing the gift I worked so hard to make for them. I'm so proud that they turned out so beautifully.

But then they changed right into the jammies Grandma B sent! Proving that Grandmas will always be cooler than Mommy's. Well, at least I've got Santa beat!

THANK YOU GRANDMA! WE LOVE OUR NEW JAMMIES!

I'm good with my candy cane.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL! May the Lord bless you with all you stand in need of this year. We are grateful for all of our friends and family and hope the New Year brings love and happiness for us all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! After Bart and I spent our Anniversary at a condo in Park City, we decided to use the rest of the gift certificate to rent another condo for our whole family. We did this over Thanksgiving weekend and it was incredible!

Although the decorations were not my taste exactly, the layout was absolutely perfect! Just right for our little family. We had two bedrooms, one upstairs with a bunk bed, and the Master Suite on the main floor.

The main room was spacious and easy to move around each other in. The kids had a blast running around and playing together. I loved all the cooking and time in the kitchen. Bart soaked up the down time and marveled at the -4 degree weather outside.

I forgot to take pictures of the beautiful, magazine worthy food, BEFORE we started eating it. So, you get the left-overs! Enjoy!

The kitchen was just spacious enough for me to be able to cook a full Thanksgiving meal for a small group.

Alex hung out and explored the space all weekend.

Genny had a great time helping Mom cook the food!

Anna had a great time helping herself EAT the food!

Instead of a full turkey, I did a large turkey breast. I used fresh herbs from my garden, along with some dried herbs, which I mixed into some butter and spread between the skin and meat of the breast. It turned out beautifully moist and delicious! I was so proud of myself!

I made my mom's stuffing recipe. My FAVORITE Thanksgiving dish! Thanks Mom!

A Must Have for me at holiday dinners is green bean casserole. I just LOVE those fried onions!

Freshly grated garlic and some heavy cream mixed perfectly into the mashed potatoes. YUMM!

The Rolls almost didn't make it to the table! (One of the traditions I'm trying to keep up from my side of the family.)

Dessert baked the night before! They were so yummy with vanilla ice cream and fresh whipped cream.

Some Orange Jell-O and Butterscotch pudding finished off the desserts, and pickles were served on the side of the meal. We all had over stuffed tummies and happy taste-buds!

We spent the time we weren't eating: snacking, watching tv, playing games, and napping.

It was a heavenly weekend! I hope yours was too!

Halloween Happenings!

2010-11-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

We had a fun time this Halloween. It started off with Genevieve's first friend hosted Halloween party on Thursday and then her first school party on Friday. She was adorable and fun as a silly clown this year.
Then Friday, our play group got together to decorate cookies in the morning (thanks for hosting Heather!) and then a trip to Pumpkin Land in the afternoon. Alex stayed home to nap for both of those activities so the girls could enjoy without mommy feeling overwhelmed or out numbered. I really enjoyed watching Genny and Anna have a new experience. Everything was exciting and big in their eyes. And they LOVED being out and playing with their friends.

I had fun with MY friends too!

It was a very pleasant and fun Halloween activity. Perfect for little kids! We'll probably go again each year while the kids are small.

Because Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, Saturday was our Halloween. We carved our pumpkins Saturday morning and had a pretty easy going day.

Then I panicked! I had all the costumes perfectly arranged and accessorized... in my mind. When it came time to actually get costumes on for trick or treating, nothing was where I thought it would be.

Since Genny had already worn her costume so many times, she had temporarily lost her clown hat (we all frantically/angrily raced around the house looking for it). And she REFUSED to wear the honking clown nose she BEGGED me to buy her.

Then after Bart got the three layers of tights (to keep her little legs warm) and her entire costume on Anna, she then decides to tell me she had to go to the potty.

Alex started to cry and whine, because he had refused to take his afternoon nap, plus he was breaking out in a rash ALL over his body, including his face and head. (I'll tell you that story in another post. *sigh*)

I couldn't find my shoes... Bart was the only one who kept it all together. I was a hollering ranting mess. I should have been wearing a witch's hat! So when I realized I was ruining what was supposed to be a FUN night for the kids, I changed my tune, laughed stuff off, and made it about the kids! Then it became fun. We eventually found everything we needed.

I put clown make-up on Genny EXACTLY the way SHE wanted me to.

We had fun taking pictures while we waited for the rain to stop.

And when it did, we went out trick or treating and had an incredibly fun time together. Alex was a natural. Even though this was his first time trick or treating, he got right up there next to his sisters and raised his bucket high for the home owners to fill. It was so cute!

All the kids got lots of attention for their AWESOME costumes. For this I have to thank Grandma Terry. I added some new accessories, but the main pieces for the girls, came from her.

My mom made clown costumes for me and my brothers and sisters when I was about 4 or 5. Genny wore the one that I wore back then.

My mom also made ME a cute little bumble bee costume that I wore when I was 3ish. That is the bumble bee costume that Anna wore. She couldn't have been more adorable! I was gushing with pride over this one, because this costume is one of my most treasured early childhood memories. Yay for mommies and daughters bonding over costumes!

And how 'bout my mom, makin' costumes that lasted 27-28 years!? Thank you Mom!

Alex's costume was a treasure to find! He was originally going to be a store bought Captain America, made out of that, not so great, fabric all the "costumes in a bag" are made of these days. But then lucky me, decided to drop into a local thrift store on a whim and found the most incredible, hand-made matador costume. I got the store manager to drop the price on it, and I walked out feeling like a champ. Alex was so perfectly cute in it!

Bart and I were a couple from the 50's. Blonde Curls, Red lipstick, Letterman Jacket, converse style shoes (with BYU printed on them of course) and all! The poodle skirt, with petticoat, is one that, again, my mom made when I was 17. Man, I need to learn to sew! I hope your Halloween was at least half as fun as ours! Cuz ours rocked!

Madi Mondays

2010-10-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

Madison Mecum was a special, bright young girl who brought sunshine into our home every Monday for a couple of years. We've known her longer of course, but more than a baby-sitter for our three small children, or my voice student for a short time, Madison was an important presence in our family. As a new mom with 3 small children born within a 4 year time frame, I needed someone like Madison in my life. As her mother before her, Madison became a friend, confidant, and support to me.

Just as Madison was getting to baby-sitting age, she would come over after school, or in the mid-morning during summertime, just to be with me and my 3 kids. She'd help with anything she saw I needed, but mostly gave my 3 kids the attention and playtime they needed so I could finally get to housework, or a nap, or a project, or anything else that I might have been setting aside throughout the previous week. But during her visits she and I became quite close.

We shared stories with one another about the current activities we were each involved in. She show me her music or dance steps for choir or plays. We talked gymnastics, volleyball, and softball. We laughed and marveled together at the funny or amazing things the kids did. I taught her how to put a diaper on correctly, tricks to get kids to eat, and how to get a screaming baby calmed down. She became quite the pro-babysitter after about a year of these afternoons at my house. And I became a much calmer and less stressed mom.

I looked forward to Madi Mondays as much as my kids. Many times I would feel a sense of relief just knowing Monday was around the corner. She helped me to not feel so overwhelmed or alone in this very hard job I'd created for myself by having my children so close together. My husband loved and took great joy in coming home on Mondays to see her smiling, cheerful self, bouncing one of our kids on her hip and keeping me company while I finished making dinner for our family. Dinners Madi would stay and enjoy with us some of the evenings her mom was busy training for her new job. My 4 year old thought for the longest time that Madi was her big sister and my 2 year old would always shout Madi's name loud and clear when asked who her best friend was. Even my little 1 year old would hear Madison's voice, as she walked in the house, and come barreling around the kitchen corner to run into her arms.

Madison would sometimes take our kids down to the elementary school playground on some of the early evenings she would baby-sit for us. That playground was quickly dubbed Madi's Park by my 2 and 4 year old. As we drove by the playground yesterday, like we do on every trip to the store, I had to hold back my tears as they habitually shouted out that there's Madi's Park! Mom! Look it's Madi's Park!

I'm feeling blessed that my kids are young enough that their innocence isn't tainted or confused by death. To them it's simple. Madi lived on earth and now her body doesn't work, so her spirit lives in Heaven with Heavenly Father and Madi's dad. We explained that we won't get to see Madison for a very long time, but that we can see her again when our bodies don't work anymore and we go to live in Heaven too. For them, that's good enough.

How I wish I could remember more frequently when the pain creeps up on me, that it REALLY is that simple. I'm grateful to know that God is real. That there is a purpose for this life on earth, but that this life is not the end. I'm thankful to know that by making covenants and keeping true to them, I seal my spirit to my family and to my God.

"I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know who I am. I know God's plan. I'll follow Him in Faith." Madison exemplified this everyday of her life. Something she learned from the time she had with her father, the teachings of her amazing mother, and the love from her sweet sister and extended family as well. I'm grateful for the impeccable example Madison was able to be in the very impressionable early years of my own two daughters' life.

I can't even begin to say how glad I am that after her last Monday afternoon with us, just 2 weeks ago, I told Madison as she was leaving, how much she means to our family. I'm grateful I'll never have to wonder whether she knew it or not. I know more now than I did then even, how important it is to share the love we have in our hearts for people, with those people. Our love and admiration for Madison will never fade.

My Big Girl!

2010-10-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

Genevieve is more amazing everyday!

Two big events for Genny this year:

First, Genevieve is now 4 years old! This is a fact that we are reminded of, by her, about every couple of hours, everyday since her birthday. So cute! Every time she hears someone say the number four, or counts something that totals the number four, or simply mentions the number four... She quickly pipes in and announces, "I'm four!" I love it! We were able to give her a really fun Birthday Party! At first though, I wasn't sure if it was going to be fun for her. Unfortunately, a business trip took Bart out of the country the week before Genny's birthday. The night before, she started to cry and say that she didn't want a party. I asked why and she told me, "Because my daddy is gone." Talk about heart breaking! Thankfully though, I was able to talk her into enjoying her friends and celebrating with Daddy when he got home. She did just that!

Every outside toy we own was played with!

Our best friends were able to be there!

We played games like fox and hen and duck duck goose
but the Tinker Bell pinata was the anticipated and most exciting activity for all!

Then came the PRESENTS! Genny was very gracious and thanked everyone for their gifts as she opened them.

What sweet and generous friends we have! Thanks again everyone.

Second, she is having her first experience with going to school. She's only been asking for over a year now if she could go. When school time came around THIS year and she started to ask again, we actually got to tell her YES! She was so excited and couldn't wait for her first day.

Apple for Teacher!

Waiting for her ride. (So cute I can hardly stand it!)

Her two best school buddies! They have SO much fun together, these three!

BEFORE her first day, she didn't really have a lot of interest in writing. She was blowing me away left and right with her reading and spelling out loud abilities. But I couldn't get her excited to write. AFTER her first day, she could free hand her name "Genny" and on her own, figured out "Anna". AMAZING CHILD! She has since gotten "Mommy, "Alex", and is working on "Daddy". Her desire to learn is inspiring to say the least.

On another note: Out of nowhere she said the sweetest thing the other day...
"Mommy, when I grow up, and I'm a mommy, I'm still going to call my daddy, 'Daddy'."

Melt my heart CUTE!

Another Anna Moment

2010-09-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

So we were slightly frazzled today. The plan BEFORE church was: I go to church early for choir and an appointment with a counselor in the Bishopric. Then Bart comes with the three kids in time for sacrament. Then after sacrament I take Alex to Primary with me while I sub for the primary chorister and Bart is in an important leadership meeting.

What happened: Bart was leaving for church with the three kids, Anna throws up all over her dress. So Bart quickly gets her changed and walks very fast to the church building pushing a stroller and trying to get Genny to keep up.

On to plan B: We certainly aren't going to send Anna to the nursery after she's thrown up. Unsure if she has a bug or just didn't chew her food well enough, we decide to take Anna and Alex back home. But that would have to be done after I get sustained for my new calling. So I get a sub to sub for the sub in primary ;) and Bart stays out in the foyer with Anna and Alex while Genny and I take our seats for Sacrament Meeting. About 10 minutes into the meeting they call for me to be sustained as the ward music director. Not two minutes after that...

Plan C takes over! I hear a LOUD scream from the foyer. I knew it was Anna. Just as I'm starting to rise out of my seat to go see what happened, my friend Heather, sitting in front of me, turns around as I hear my name shouted at me from behind, Heather GASPS! and then S L O W M O T I O N... I turn completely around to see Bart standing in the doorway holding Anna in front of him. All I can focus on is her blood covered, scared, little face screaming at me. I instantly leave the chapel and yell at some kid I don't know, sitting in the foyer, to take care of Alex. Knowing Genny would be fine with Dave and Heather, Bart and I took Anna in the bathroom to clean her up and assess what needed to be done. It was obvious...she needed stitches BAD!

So we handed Genny off to Heather to get to primary ok and Alex off to Maddison, his usual baby sitter, and took Anna to the insta care. Very sad about her BONK Anna was resistant to the care at first but settled after the numbing gel started to take away the pain. The Dr. came in and looked at the gash on Anna's forehead. She told us it was going to need stitches and had been cut all the way through the muscle that is between the skin and skull. It was not a very long cut, but VERY deep. It took four stitches.

The best part of the whole experience: As the doctor then proceeded to move away from Anna to get ready to do her stitches Anna says,"Doctor?" The doctor stopped and said, "Yes, sweetie?" "You forgot to look in my ears and eyes with that," Anna said as she pointed to the otoscope hanging on the wall. Even with head trauma, my girl is on top of everything!

AnnaBelle

2010-09-09T09:36:00.001-07:00

AnnaBelle has made some very exciting and amazing strides since turning two. Now almost three she has a new sense of maturity and is finally almost through her potty-training! As she watches Genny go to school she gets excited and asks when it will be her turn. Anna is getting more familiar with her letters and numbers and can memorize songs very quickly! Definitely a singer!
I have found a new sense of connection with Anna. She is a very strong willed little girl and can be hard to handle sometimes. But I'm learning new parenting skills through her. The most important one I've learned is to really listen to and hear her. I've also learned to create time to just be with her. It's true what they say about middle children. They don't get as much attention. I don't know why, I just have recognized that it's true. So I make a conscious effort to be in the moment with her every chance I get. She is building trust in me as I do this and has become more teachable and obedient. I'm so proud of her. She is a beautiful girl with a sweet loving spirit. I love my AnnaBelle!

Alex

2010-09-09T09:16:00.001-07:00

Alex is walking, running, and in general getting into everything. He has a knack for throwing and kicking anything round. His first word was 'ball' and we can tell he is destined to be an athletic kid. He had a ball themed birthday, turning 1 year old in July. He is a very cuddly yet rough and tumble kid. It's so fun to watch him try and most of the time succeed at keeping up with his big sisters! Go Alex Go!

It's already SEPTEMBER!?

2010-09-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

Oh I'm a BAD blogger! Darn FaceBook! I'll get right on catching up!

New Hairstyles!

2010-01-18T17:57:00.000-08:00

So, these past three days have produced two new hairstyles in our house. First AnnaBelle had her first haircut ever on Saturday. I was soooo proud of her as she sat perfectly still for Misty (of Misty Dorman Salon). Although she was still and very well behaved, she was silently crying the whole time as big huge tears rolled down her cheeks. It was so precious, I was almost in tears! I couldn't tell if she was scared or sad to be cutting her hair. She never did tell me. But I'm so happy with how cute her hair turned out. I had it all in curls for church yesterday. It was absolutely beautiful! Unfortunately, I did not get pictures of it then. But here are some of her before, during and after her hair cut.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER Isn't she ADORABLE!?

And then there's me!! I'm so excited because January means new wig for Brandy!! So I went with long, wavy, and red this time. I love it! We figured a wig every year saves us at least three to four hundred dollars a year when compared to the average spending a gal with average hair spends per year on cuts, color, and styling. Since I'm not an average girl with average hair...
I've been chomping at the bit to get my new wig for the last few weeks, and finally I have it!

BEFORE

AFTER (last year's wig)

AFTER, AFTER

Who Am I Doing This For?

2010-01-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

My Aunt Sue sent this video to me in a fwd email. I am amazed at how perfect the timing of this message is for me. My life is so full of blessings, but sometimes when the food gets thrown at me, or the room I just cleaned is trashed 30 minutes later, or I get screamed at in my face because she doesn't want the blue cup she wants the GREEN!!!!! one, it's easy to forget what I'm doing this for. It's easy to let thoughts of frustration, guilt, and depression stay and move out the thoughts of gratitude, divinity in my job, and understanding of my young children's LACK of understanding. Thank you Sue for sharing this with me. It has boosted my spirits and confidence in my abilities and role as a mother. As I hope it does for any parent, teacher, or mentor who sees it here.
This is the link to it on Youtube if the video isn't working on my blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0

How Much Do You Spend at Your Store?

2010-01-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

So, I went shopping today. With prices being on the rise and the economy totally bombing, it can be hard to live on a food budget. But I'm excited to report that I have a store in my area that saves my food budget life all the time. Imagine what you might spend on the above lot of groceries at say walmart, or safeway, smith's, and so on. I have come out of walmart with about the same items having spent about $120 or more. Yay for me that Buy Low is around. I know a lot of people around here think that Buylow is "slummin' it shopping" but next time you get exactly everything here for less than $75 bucks, call me. That's right $75!!! I'm blown away every time I check out there that my bill is always at least $20 to sometimes $40 bucks less than what I'm expecting. LOVE IT!!!!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T21:56:00.000-08:00

We hope you find many new joys to be grateful for this year. This past year was quite a whirlwind of activity and growing for us.

Bart has been successful at work, winning several awards and prizes for work well done. The biggest award was a paid trip to Las Vegas (I got to go too) with The President's Club (top performers in sales and sales operations in the company worldwide). Way to go Bart! He continues to be an awesome husband and father. He is very helpful to me and excellent with the kids. His favorite times are the times when we have all been able to play together. Just wrestling around on the floor or reading stories or singing songs with the kids makes all of the blah of work fade away. He is our hero!

I spent half of the year pregnant and the other half getting to know our new baby Alex. What a joy he has been. I've also really enjoyed spending time with my friends and singing every chance I get. Some highlights, seeing New Moon with Heather, and Avatar with Bart, (thank you Witworths!), singing at a bunch of Christmas parties and in each other's wards with my singing pals -Crystal, Tarin, Camille and Jan, adding our awesome piano player Camille to that group, play group with the gals from my ward, and Dancing with the Stars night each week with Jan! I've been working hard trying to find the balance between a tidy home and a "well lived in" home. 3 kids 3yrs and under people! Cut me a little slack. Finding ways to re-organize and get rid of stuff has become my favorite thing.

Genevieve has moved out of toddlerhood into kidville. Her biggest accomplishments span from potty training (since Alex was born a bit of a struggle but still...), she makes her own bed, puts away her folded clothes, has letters and counting down, she can figure out any puzzle under 50 pieces by herself, and has I don't know how many songs memorized! She's really funny too! She makes up stories and finds humor in just about everything. Still she's a girl and can be moody such as... She and I were walking down the stairs and I started to run my fingers through her hair. She waved my hand away and said, "ugh, Mommy stop!" So I said, "Sorry, I just like playing with your hair." To which she sighed and said, "Mommy, my hair is NOT a toy." Gotta love her! In one word... Strong-willed.

AnnaBelle has made great strides in her maturity. She speaks almost as well as Genny and can count to twenty and sing her ABC's along with several other songs she has memorized. Showing a lot of interest in using the potty, she does very well at asking when she needs to go. She helps with any chore I let her. She is definitely my shadow. No matter where I am in the house, if 5 minutes go by and I'm not in the same room with her, she finds me. She has really enjoyed learning and playing in Nursery at church. She gets a little anxious still when we drop her off, but finds a teacher to hang with and feels better. She is not as independent as Genny. But I love her hugs and cuddles. She'd rather sit and be held than play with toys any day. I've come to realize she's more like me than I knew. Very affectionate, emotionally driven, thrives on attention, slightly insecure, but ultra loving, she also looks like me... put a blonde afro on her head and she looks exactly like I did when I was her age!

Alex has had a wonderful first five and a half months. He has been showered with love and cuddles by all of us. And he has given us sunshine injections straight to our hearts in return. He has the biggest smile! Alex is a very happy baby who has reminded me why I love being a mother. Such an easy and smiley baby, he has learned to laugh, coo, roll all over the floor, he's close to sitting up (not quite there but soon!), and he is onto fruits, vegetables, and formula. No more nursing!!!! Freedom and sanity are returning to me. Hallelujah!

Again, we hope your new year is full of love and laughter, and that you carry with you all the joys of the last. God Bless!
Much love,
The Taylors

Our Little Performers...

2010-01-01T21:31:00.000-08:00

What Chocolate Chip Cookie? I don't know what you're talking about!

2010-01-01T21:08:00.000-08:00

AnnaBelle's 2nd Birthday

2009-12-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

We had a few kids over. Here is Anna and her birthday song.

Alex just chilling after breakfast

2009-12-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

Here is Alex in the swing. He is so happy and was performing in command.

Halloween Costumes

2009-10-31T20:38:00.001-07:00

Here are the girls in their costumes. We went trick or treating all over our ward. The girls said "Go Cougars, Happy Halloween" all night long. We missed having Mom and Alex with us. They are in Pendleton OR with Brandy's family for the weekend.

Anna wasn't into it until her bucket was full. I couldn't get her to let me help her carry the very heavy loot, ever.

Genny was a pro at it, so she nearly ran from house to house. I had to tell her "Wait for Anna" about 100 times. After we got home, a trick or treater came to our door dressed just like Genny!

I carried a bucket around with the cameras in it and people kept giving me candy to 'give to Alex'. Whatever, that is all going into my belly.

My Sweet Boy!

2009-10-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

Genny's " little buddy."
I'm so in love with this kid!

Daddy's cuddles can do wonders for the soul!

So little...

3 Months Went by Fast!

2009-10-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

So, the last time I posted, I wasn't sure if I was really in labor. Turns out I totally was. I labored at home for about 11 hours total, then went in to the hospital, had an epidural this time, and baby Alexander was born a few hours later. He was 7 lbs 7 oz and 19 inches long. He is now over 10 lbs and 23 inches long! He's been an awesome baby. So full of sunshine and smiles. He smiles and coos at anyone who talks to him. Out of all the baby deliveries this has been my easiest and the easiest and fastest recovery as well.

The girls have adjusted nicely. They love their little brother. Genny has an especially strong bond with him. She sings to him when he cries and he always calms and coos for her. She can make him smile more than the rest of us. It's really enchanting to watch.

Enjoy the pictures!

How do I know for sure?

2009-07-19T04:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here at 5:12 in the morning. A contraction just ended and I'm wondering, yet again if this is it. I've had a rough few days of all signs pointing to labor and then after about an hour at the hospital, everything stops. I've been sent home twice and have been pretty disappointed about it. My mood is melancholy and my hopes are low. But I do know that the baby is healthy and I'm healthy, so we're good there. It really isn't a matter of impatience. Of course I'd like to be done being pregnant and be holding my baby, but I can be patient with that. It's the build up and the huge let down that is wearing on me. 5:19 another contraction. They've gone from 12 to 8 to 7 min. apart. I think I'll go take a hot shower now. Will post more later.

As you can see, I've been busy!

2009-06-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Check out why I've been such a bad blogger the last several months.
http://www.kneesandtoesphotography.com/Taylor/

Thanks for these Cat. You're such a talented photographer! I love following your blog too.

The Park

2009-05-27T07:17:00.001-07:00

We went to the park as family. Genny had a good time playing on the park equipment.

Home Depot

2009-05-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Anna and Daddy went to Home Depot recently. this is her riding in the cart.

The Boy Can Dance!

2009-03-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

Check out my brother's moves! The good looking "show boater" in the front (white shirt & tie) is my baby brother, Ben. He's a really great dancer and has been doing lots of fun dancing stuff over at the Y. He's not a student there, but has been fortunate enough to have made lots of good friends and be involved in the swing dance activities they have. His dream is to finish his bachelor's degree and then become a dance instructor with his own studio. Here, he helped to teach a group of students the famous swing line dance "The Shim Sham." Super fun! Go Ben!

Life is Hard, The Gospel of Jesus Christ is Simple

2009-03-29T20:24:00.001-07:00

I learned some things at church today. More like was reminded of some things. The spirit spoke very clearly to my heart today. It was fast and testimony meeting in our ward. There were many wonderful testimonies shared but one in particular humbled me and made me realize a few things. I was also very inspired and moved to tears during a beautiful lesson given in relief society by the second counselor in our Bishopric. I’d like to share a few impressions I received while listening to these two people speak with the spirit.

First my dear friend, who has been experiencing an exceptionally difficult run of hard times, stood and shared her sweet testimony. She has struggled with serious financial stress, a beautiful child whose actions have been contrary to her own testimony, and physical pain and health issues one after another. The first thing she said was that she has felt very blessed and wished to publically express her gratitude to her Heavenly Father for that.

My Thoughts: Amazing example of humility and gratitude. Most people in this world would take the opportunity to wallow in their woes and blame God and everyone around them for all of their hardships. Instead she is sincerely focused on her blessings and has been ever faithful.

She then bore her testimony of having been through some financial difficulties and the obvious blessings the Lord has bestowed upon her because of her faithfulness in paying tithing and fast offerings.

My Thoughts: Again a true example of Faithfulness. She has adopted the mind set of how can I afford NOT to? Instead of Satan’s rationale how can I afford tithes and fast offerings when money is so tight?

She also gave testimony of the power of the priesthood and expressed her sincerest thanks to the worthy and willing priesthood holders in the ward who have served her family through sharing that priesthood power. She said that even though she does not have that power residing in her home, she is so blessed to know that it’s just moments away if she needs it.

My Thoughts: I’m so grateful to my husband for not only being of service to us, his family, in that respect. But I am thankful that he is so willing to give of his time and serve my friends and our ward members as well. I know what it’s like to not have the priesthood in my home. Too many years, I lived my life without that extra security. I’m eternally grateful to my husband for bringing that sense of security the true priesthood of God gives, into my life.

Again, I felt humbled by this very sweet and sincere testimony. It is just a reminder to me that complaints and negativity about our lives, circumstances, and trials are Satan’s way. This doesn’t mean that we are not entitled to grieve or feel our human emotions. Sometimes a good cry or venting session is what our bodies need to get through a tough time. But the Lord’s way is allowing our spirits to raise us out of our sorrows and remind us that the Lord is on our side and will make us strong so long as we are humbly and actively seeking His help and doing His will.

On that note I’m so blessed to have had two substantially spiritually charged experiences today. As I said before, our second counselor in the bishopric spoke in Relief Society today. The thoughts he shared with us were especially meaningful to me. I wish I could repeat word for word what was said, but instead I’ll share the moments that I felt the Holy Ghost speaking straight to my heart. He talked about Rocket Scientists. We look at them and we see above average smart, best in their class, only the top notch types could do that job. He then explained that that way of thinking is too often used in regards to the Celestial Kingdom. We look at that endeavor and think to ourselves, oh that’s just for the best of the best, the elite, and more perfect than me. I was struck with the very tender whispering that I have been, and no longer should be, thinking this way. I realized that no matter how hard I try to be everything I think I should be, I’ve never allowed what I do and who I am to be enough. As the tears started to come he continued by reminding us that the gospel is simple. Satan would try to convince us that it is hard and impossible to live up to. This is not truth. The gospel is easy. Life is hard, yes. But the gospel is simple. Read your scriptures, say your prayers, and go to or be in process of getting to the temple regularly. That’s it, he said. In my mind I immediately started to think of the many other things, go to church, pay tithing, be Christ like in all things, etc. Then the spirit whispered again. If I’m doing those three simple things, the much larger list that started to form in my head, those things just take care of themselves. Those other things fall into place and are just a natural extension of the simpler list of three.

He confirmed these thoughts by saying that there isn’t a person doing those three simple things that isn’t living the gospel. Those who have stepped off the path whether temporarily or permanently have at one point stopped doing one or more of these three things. I felt the truthfulness of those words.

I shared my thoughts about the very dangerous no deadly trap we can get ourselves into. That is the trap of comparing our weaknesses to other people’s strengths. Which brings about the thoughts of I’m not enough, and certainly am not as perfect as so and so. I thought to myself after I had made that statement that I am horrible about falling into this trap. I find traits in others that I admire and then start to ask myself why I’m not better at that like them. My house isn’t as pretty as… or I’m not strong like… I don’t pray as often as… I’m not beautiful like… I’m not super mom like…

Then he looked straight into my eyes and with power straight from the Holy Ghost said to me, Sister Taylor, you are doing the best that you can, you ARE good enough. You are on the path. It doesn’t matter which stretch of the path we are on as long as we are on it. You are on the path. He said when you stand before the Lord for judgment, he will say to you, Brandy how are YOU? Not Brandy, how are you in comparison to…

Relief and humility filled my soul. I know that the temptation to compare myself and tell myself I’m less than, stems from Pride and Satan. Today, I have been reminded that if I just simplify, be better at those three simple things, the confidence of being enough in God’s eyes will reign over my prideful insecurities and eventually remove that urge to compare all together.

Again, where we are on the path is secondary to simply being on the path. At the end of his lesson he encouraged us to take time to read The Way a talk given by Lawrence E. Corbridge during the October 2008 General Conference. It can be found in the November 2008 Ensign.

I bear testimony that these things I’ve shared are true. The Lord Jesus Christ is the way. The Holy Ghost is a real member of the Godhead and he teaches us all that the Lord would have us know. If we are listening and inviting him to be with us, we can know the mysteries of God and be reminded of the simplicity of God’s plan. Heavenly Father loves us. I believe this with all my heart. I share these reminders in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The results are in!!

2009-03-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't done much talking about the pregnancy thus far. To be honest, I haven't really felt all that chatty about being pregnant since I've been non-stop sick for the past twenty weeks! Also, pregnancy has become somewhat of a routine for me considering I'm having my third child within our three and a half years of marriage. But today was an extremely exciting day for us! We went in for our twenty week ultra sound and got the news of what sex the baby is. This is our third and final pregnancy so with two beautiful daughters we were of course hoping for the chance to add a son to our little family. How blessed we are that we are going to be having just that. A SON!!

IT'S A BOY!!!

2009-03-06T16:00:00.001-08:00

Wave Hello!
Smile Big!
Show Off!

Plastic Surgery!?!

2009-03-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

Lately anytime I'm out with Genevieve I keep getting asked the same questions. What happened to her eye? And Is that ever going to heal? Well for over two months now I haven't had an answer. This unsightly bump/bruise started out as a simple little teeny bump that resembled an ingrown hair or pimple. I left it be, thinking it would go away by itself as those things usually do. But when it grew to the size of a bee-bee and started to turn red then purple I took her into the doctor. Again, this was two months ago... They looked at it and we all assumed that she had somehow hit her face on something causing a small hematoma that needed draining. So Genny, like a champ, laid on her back and silently let them poke at it several times with a sterile needle. They drained the blood out and the size of the bump decreased significantly but the color of bruising never went away. So Friday after the size of the bump had, over time, increased again, I took Genevieve in again. They looked at it again and drained it again. Understandably, she wasn't as patient with them this time. Crying and panicking she endured the needle poke at her face once more. Poor thing. The nurse practitioner wanted the doctor to look at it one more time. She said as she was draining it, she could see it drain and then refill itself. So the doctor came in and took a real close look and figured out what it is. He said that it is a dermoid syst. Basically an oil gland that has no opening. He said that it probably got a slight infection and then was bled into with no way for draining. I asked what we do now, he said we get her into a good plastic surgeon. The whole gland sac needs to be removed from her face. If we don't remove it she'll end up with permanent scaring and discoloration and a need to go in for regular drainings. Needless to say I was in shock! First of all, Plastic Surgery!! It just sounds so Big. Then again, permanent scaring and discoloration on her beautiful face!! Not to mention routine pokes to her face with a needle! Even Bigger. So we'll be making an appointment sooner than later for sure. Who knew something so small could be such a Big deal? Poor kid!

Adventure is Her Middle Name

2009-03-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

It's no wonder our Anna has bumps and bruises. We can't seem to stop her from climbing and running full force everywhere she goes. She figured out that she could climb up the dining room chairs today. She got to the top of my chair and said, "I did it!"

AnnaBelle's First Big Bonk

2009-03-04T19:10:00.000-08:00

We'd like to pray its her last too! Poor kid plays hard and runs fast and when you add tripping over one toy onto a toy cradle, face first... OUCH! Our sweet Belle has a big goose egg right between the eyes. And wouldn't you know it's the night before her 15 month doctor's appointment. I don't think I'll be getting a gold star from our pediatrician. I hate to think she's getting shots too! Bad week for Belle.

Make Believe...

2009-03-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

So, Brandy was just telling me a little story about what Genevieve was doing the other morning. She was sitting at the table eating some cereal. She started dropping some on the floor. "Genny, what are you doing? Stop throwing food on the floor." "The big bad wolf's tummy grumbling. I feeding him." "Well, it's nice of you to want to share but tell him to get a plate, get up to the table and eat at the table like the rest of us. We don't eat off the floor in this family."
LOL

Kids Are So Funny Sometimes

2009-02-24T10:17:00.000-08:00

I just have to tell this story. Genny is two an a half years old now. She is very smart and full of fun personality. But like most two year olds, she likes to test us sometimes. A while ago at the dinner table Genny was just pitching fit after fit. I got such headache and Bart was at his wits end too. We both had to walk away from the table out of sheer frustration. I came back into the room a few minutes later and found Genny doing something strange with her face and hand. She had her finger pointed and was poking at the air with a scrunched up face. She kept pretending to poke as she grunted as though it were taking all of her might to do so. I called Bart in to show him what she was doing. I then asked Genny what she was doing. She continued to poke as she growled, "I pushing your buttons!"
Sigh, needless to say we couldn't stop laughing for a while. A long while!

I have a new Look!

2009-02-22T20:43:00.000-08:00

K, so anyone who knows me might be shocked by this, but probably shouldn't be. After 29 years of having the same hair style, I decided it was time for a change! Every show that I've ever had to wear a wig for was always a thrill for me to experience a different hair style. So I decided to start my own collection of wigs. I've always had a flare for the dramatic and am so excited about this. The first in my future collection, I found this one and cried when I put it on. I fell that in love with the look that quickly. I've had a really great response from my friends here and have had so much fun showing it off! I'm just excited to be updating my look and feel a little more fashionable. I'm still very much attached to my real hair and the uniqueness that it gives my appearance. I just love changing things up and being able to decide what hair style I'd like to choose each day. So Much Fun!!!!!

Goooooo Genevieve!

2009-02-22T20:35:00.000-08:00

Genevieve Taylor is a genius! After a day and a half of potty training... She's a pro! She has been 99% accident free. She has been getting herself up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and has been very good at getting to the potty on her own during the day. She stays dry during her naps and clean throughout the day. Nursery has been a snap too! She tells her teachers when she has to go, they bring her to me and she stays dry and clean all through church. It doesn't matter where we are, she tells me when she has to go. I'm so grateful! What a blessing that it happened so fast and easily! Way to go Genny!

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-22T20:14:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a few different posts today! I have some catching up to do...

It's been a while since I have had a holiday come while I was feeling well. So I was very excited to have a little extra energy for Valentine's. A few days before Valentine's day I was feeling a little cabin feverish, but still not wanting to go out in the cold, I decided the next best thing would be to change up the activities during the day. So the girls and I decided to make some Valentine cookies for Daddy. Genevieve was awesome at patting down the dough and cutting the shapes out. AnnaBelle was great at eliminating a lot of work for us by eating as much dough as she could get her hands on. We had soooo much fun together. It was especially refreshing for me to do something fun and productive with the girls. After we finished baking the cookies I put the girls down for naps and decided to try my new cake decorating tools out on the cookies. I made some frosting and just started to play around with the different tips. I wasn't really trying to be professional about it or anything. I was more like a kid with play-dough, seeing what cool shapes this one made or how big of a star that one would make. It was exhausting (frosting is NOT for whimps) but very fun!
Then on Saturday morning my Valentine to my family was a valentine breakfast. My mom had given Bart a heart shaped muffin tin as a gift so I borrowed that from him and made some apple cinnamon muffins from scratch. They didn't look exactly like hearts (I filled them too full, Ooops) but still they tasted pretty good. I took some of the left over frosting from the cookies and added some cream cheese to top the muffins with a yummy cream cheese frosting. I then took out my heart shaped egg shaper and was able to cook up some heart shaped scrambled eggs to go with the muffins. I added some apple slices we canned last fall to the plates and viola! Everyone seamed to enjoy it. I really enjoyed putting it together. So much fun!

All about AnnaBelle

2009-01-09T20:34:00.000-08:00

AnnaBelle turned one year old on December 5th 2008!

A beautiful girl who has made our life and family more joyful and complete since the day she arrived. Anna has a sweetness about her that is heartwarming to say the least. She has the ability to make just about anyone she comes in contact with feel loved. We are absolutely in love with this very affectionate and cuddly girl, who would much rather hug and squeeze her stuffed animals than play with any toy. Her other favorite thing to do is bring books to Mommy or Daddy and just sit on our laps while we thumb trough the pages and read or name what's on the page for her. She's eager to learn and pays very close attention to every turn of the page. We're delighted that she is starting to talk now. A few words have just started to become clear to us in her speech. Mom, Daddy, all done, bottle, hi, and I love you are the most recognizable. It is so much fun watching her play with her big sister! Practically a big kid, she goes running full speed through the house playing chase. They jump together in whomever's bed/crib they happen to be in at the same time. She dances to music and sings along whenever she hears the sound of other voices singing. It's hard to believe how much she has grown considering how tiny she started out.

Catching Up!

2009-01-09T20:17:00.000-08:00

So here we are in a new year and I am way behind on my postings! Thank you Bart for making sure we at least got Christmas documented on our blog. So here is a recap and excuses for my lack of postings. First, my gall bladder problem came back with a vengeance. I have had several attacks and one that took me to the ER again. I'm also PREGNANT! As great as that is, it has brought me to a life of living on the couch, eating crackers, and hugging a large bowl while watching my two little ones destroy the family room. I haven't been able to do much of anything for the last several weeks until now. I'm feeling different now that the end of my first trimester is in sight. Therefore, I'm trying to return to some normal activities. It's nice feeling more than just half alive again! So the dates might not match the activities but here's to catching up!

Christmas Morning...

2008-12-25T12:45:00.000-08:00

The day started with Genevieve yelling "ouch" at the top of her lungs. I jolted from bed to see what was the matter. I found her laying on her back in her bed ready for a diaper change. I had to run into her sister's room to get the wipes and clean diaper. Anna was awake and started screaming at the top of her lungs because I left. I got Genny taken care of and a bottle for Anna. Genny and I went in and woke up Brandy to get ready for the big event.
The girls unwrapped toys and found all kinds of fun stuff. It seems that Genny's favorite thing is the little lip gloss she got in her stocking. Anna's favorite is the little box of Circus Animal cookies in her stocking.
The big present this year was a 3.5 foot tall mini kitchen for the girls to play with. I spent about 3 hours putting it together last night. What a deal that was!! The box said "some adult assembly required." I think it should have said, "Complete assembly by a qualified union ELF required!" I finally got it together and to bed at about 12:30. So far, it is lots of fun for the girls.
Brandy's present is a complete cake decorating kit. She has a turning stand, colors, frosting knives, cake rounds, 19 tips, shapers, a flower nail, and some other stuff. She seemed super excited.
The big family present is a microwave to go over the stove! The previous range hood was hard wired, so I have to go buy a plug box and stuff before I can get the new microwave up.
Well, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

2008-11-23T18:45:00.000-08:00

Funny Times with Scripture Time

We were having family scripture time the other night. We have started doing it the way we learned at Benson and Tonya’s house where I (Bart) read a couple of words and Genny repeats them as best she can. We were reading the last chapter of 3 Nephi. I read the first verse:

1 Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I should write, saying:

Genny helped me with the second:

2 Turn, Turn, all ye, all ye, Gentiles, Gentiles, from your, from your, wicked ways; wicked ways; and repent, and repent, of your, of your, evil doings, evil doings, of your, of your, lyings, and tigers

(and bears, Oh my!). It took me about three minutes to catch my breath from laughing so hard! So what do we learn from this? Who cares, it was super funny!!

Halloween Fun!

2008-11-06T20:12:00.000-08:00

Oh my there is sooooo much to say! I can't believe it's already the end of November! I need to share our fun Halloween day activities before Thanksgiving! So, what a great (exhausting) day Halloween was for our family. To start the day off Bart went to work with the reminder to me that he was really excited for the girls and me to come to his party at work. I was excited for that too! But first, we needed to go to the store. When we got back home, we found our paint and brushes and painted our pumpkins! Much easier to paint with a 2 year old than to try carving! Earlier my friend Paige had called and asked if Genevieve might enjoy watching the elementary school costume parade her daughter was going to be in. I thought that sounded great so we went. Maddison looked great! At least as great as a Whoopi Cushion could look! Very funny Costume! Then after that we stopped in at our friend Heather's house. We love to spend time with Heather and Nora. Heather showed me a really cool bread recipe she was using to make breadsticks with. We got a sampling of the breadsticks... Oh my Yummy!! After that it was hurry up and get ready for Daddy's work party! FINALLY Genny got to put on her costume after begging all day! "I wear my ScRareCrow costume for MY party."
Not having had any naps all day both girls fell asleep on the way to Bart's work. But Genny woke right up when I said the word party. And boy was she in a great mood. She put on quite the show for everybody. Especially for our friend Amy that works there too. Genny just loved hanging around Amy and her candy station. So much fun! AnnaBelle had everyone oooing and awing over how cute she is. She's walking but is so little that it takes everybody by surprise when they see it. The girls trick or treated their way around the big office and ended the party with a costume contest. AnnaBelle and Genevieve WON the "Best Group Theme" Category (by a landslide). I think if they had been able to be in two categories, they would have totally won the "Cutest" Award too! They were THE favorites throughout the whole party. I was such a proud Mommy! After the party we stopped and saw our good friend Jill! I couldn't head home without showing the girls off to her. She loved the costumes! Then on to a quick dinner at home and Trick or Treating around the neighborhood! We couldn't go to every house but it was fun seeing all the costumes and kids running around. Genevieve doddled along to each house. Annoying at the time, but very cute in hindsight! One of the sweet ladies in our ward at church told me she almost made a cutest costume award to give to Genevieve after that night. I'm so lucky to have such sweet and cute girls. AnnaBelle was mostly just along for the ride that night, but she behaved so well. Genevieve thoroughly enjoyed the night saying "trick or treat, thank you, and happy halloween" to every one she got candy from. Such a good girl! I loved watching her do these things that just a year ago she couldn't do yet. My, how fast they grow! I know it sounds like a lot of bragging... but c'mon what's not to brag about!?

Autumn... We're so glad it's here!

2008-10-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

I love the Autumn season! What's not to love? Falling leaves, warm cozy sweaters, smokin' hot leather boots (if I'm lucky some new ones!), and best of all... children playing in piles of leaves.

We had a spectacular Fall day today. The temperature was perfection, the leaves were beautifully colored, and I don't have to have surgery! WHAT!? What is she talking about, you might ask. It's simple really.
This past Saturday evening, into the night, and on through Sunday morning. I was in the worst pain of my life. Not kidding. Yes, I've had two children, got through 9 hours of labor with each, and not an ounce of epidural. I was begging for drugs to stop this pain. I spent Sunday morning in the ER as they did tests and asked questions about my pain. When I described the heartburn multiplied by a million and sharp knife like pain from the front right rib cage straight through my back right shoulder blade, they instantly knew something was wrong with my gall bladder. The pain medicine kicked in and my ultra sound looked normal so they sent me home. I went back to the hospital today, feeling much better, to do a HIDA Scan. The results for that came back and although I need to watch my fat intake it's not so bad that I HAVE to have it removed. Whew!

So our family spent the rest of the day celebrating in the cool sunshine! Genevieve helped Daddy clean up the leaves that had fallen. AnnaBelle sat and played in them. She apparently finds leaves very tasty. Then Genny and I went through them and chose a few exceptionally beautiful ones and made a lovely picture together. What a Great Day!

2008-10-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Genevieve made her first art project out of the fruits of this beautiful Autumn afternoon.

2008-10-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

AnnaBelle loved playing in the leaves.

We are a Happy Family

2008-10-27T16:44:00.000-07:00

Genevieve is learning many of the Nursery songs. She is very good at repeating and memorizing lyrics. One of my favorites that she and I sing is We Are a Happy Family.
I sing "I love" she fills in the name, usually with her own, then when I get to "we love" she fills in another name, AnnaBelle or Daddy. Then she sings the last line "we are a happy family". I love teaching my daughters how important it is to love and appreciate one another. My dream has always been to have children that were really best friends. I'm thankful to be the mother of two amazing girls and the wife of one amazing man. Like everyone else we have our challenges and struggles. But holding strong to our faith in our Saviour and our love for each other no matter what trials we encounter, we really are a happy family.

I love DADDY he loves me,
We love OUR GIRLS yessiree,
They love us and so you see,
We are a HAPPY FAMILY!

New Video of Genevieve and Annabelle

2008-07-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

Yay for sisters!!

Picture updates

2008-07-06T10:19:00.001-07:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/bart.taylor/2008PicsSummer

June 2008 Update

2008-06-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

Here is the Utah Taylor family update:
Our girls are growing up. Genevieve is starting to talk in understandable sentences now. Sometimes we have to ask her to remove her pacifier so we can understand her. I think she is getting tired of us saying "take out your pacifier." It might be time to go ahead and get rid of them, we think. The other day, a friend was over and asked for a blessing, so I gave her one. A few days later, Brandy was sitting in that same chair and Genny went up to her, put her hands on Brandy's head and said "Hevnly Fodder....Amen!" She did it the other day downstairs too, then sat down in front of Brandy and said "prayer" as she put Brandy's hands on her head. Then Brandy explained that daddy gives blessings. Genny is really starting to pick up things from us. We even have to change the way we say a few things, such as, "Oh my gosh," "Get back here", "I don't want to", "Give it back". She does parrott other things that we like, such as, "come on, mom", "lets go, Anna." "c'm'ere, Anna". "AnnaBelle, cute", and our favorite "I love you". They all bring a smile to our face. She walks around talking on her cell phone too. She will have a full conversation usually with gampa or gam-ma. In fact she loves talking to them soooo much that pretend isn't good enough anymore. Everytime she gets a hold of Brandy's phone she ends up calling one of the numbers on it thinking all numbers call grandma and grandpa... so we end up taking the phone and dialing the real number for grandma and grandpa so she can talk with them.

Anna can roll over now. She gets from one end of the room to the other in just seconds. She and her friend Nora love to play on the floor together holding hands or stealing pacifiers. It's really cute. She can almost sit up by herself too. She lasts a good ten or twenty seconds before she starts to leeeeaan to the floor. She just cut two more teeth today, her top eye teeth. She now has four teeth, the two bottom front, and the top eyes. She is starting to make sounds as she tries to communicate. She has quite the talent for making rasberries with her tongue. So far we've been fortunate enough to not get sprayed with her food yet. She gets around really well in her walker. She will book-it over to you when you talk to her or have her food in your hands. She is eating some solids. She eats applesauce, carrots, peas, pears, and squash. This week she will get to try mangos and sweet potatoes for the first time.

Both of the girls are starting to get up before 6 am. That has made for a couple of tired parents this last week. Last night, we went and bought some darker drapes for Genny's room so she won't be awakened by the sun in the morning. We will see how it works tomorrow morning. We bought AnnaBelle a new crib set. It is adorable...she fits right in.

They are such a joy! And they just get prettier and prettier everyday! We Love being their parents. Check out the recent pics and videos!

Genny Videos

2008-04-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some videos of Genevieve and how she is progressing:
Bathtime:

At Breakfast, showing off her new talent:

BYU Football Schedule Announced

2008-04-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

It looks like a fun year. I think the hardest game will be Northern Iowa in August. Of course, the Utes always give it a whirl, but BYU seems to have their number the last few years.
You can find the Schedule here, in my Google Documents:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcmglsGKC3NoDOOz_dPW4fQ

Mom is going home.

2007-12-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

Brandy is scheduled to go home today. She has been through all the yuck and is now feeling physically pretty well.
AnnaBelle will need to stay here in the ICU for now. Her lungs have come all the way. Now we are helping her learn how to eat. Once she is good at eating, she will get to come home too.
Genevieve was able to see her little sister last night. She said 'Baby' all the way to bed time last night. She will make a great big sister.
Bart's parents are in town and are currently at the house getting things ready for Brandy's return. Some of the ward women came over and cleaned the house the other day. It was amazing to come home to when I stopped in the other morning. What a blessing it is to have good friends.

A Little Addition

2007-12-06T10:12:00.001-08:00

And by 'little', I mean 'little'. AnnaBelle Jill Taylor was born at 1:45AM on December 5, 2007. She weighed 5 lb 11 oz and was 17 1/2 inches long. AnnaBelle has brown curly hair and deep blue eyes. She looks a lot like Brandy, her mom, did when she was born.
Brandy was diagnosed with symptoms of preeclampsia Monday morning while at the doctor's office. They admitted her to the hospital that day. I was in Denver and caught a flight back to Utah as quick a I could. I arrived Monday evening and visited with Brandy at the hospital.
Tuesday morning they ran more tests on Brandy and in the afternoon, the perinatal group did a very detailed ultrasound, looking to see the health of the baby. The baby was healthy and well inside. The perinatalogist talked to Brandy about her health and symptoms. Brandy's headaches and blurred vision were a "neurological sign that severe preeclampsia was present." The doctor recommended inducing labor for the health of the mother.
Brandy was induced at about 4:30 on Tuesday afternoon. Along with this inducement they introduced magnesium sulfate to help prevent seizures related to high blood pressure and headaches. Brandy was in mild labor until about 10 PM. Intense labor started then with an increase in the dosage of pitossin. She was in hard labor for three hours, then the midwife broke the water. Within 15 minutes, we had a beautiful baby girl.
AnnaBelle Jill came to us 4 weeks early. She went to NICU so her lungs could be developed. They gave her medicine to help their development. She was on the ventilator for about 18 hours. While in the NICU, Belle was on her belly and lifted up her head and pushed herself around 90 degrees! She is spunky and full of life. They pulled her off the ventilator and she has been breathing well on her own for several hours.

You can find pictures of the baby here. http://picasaweb.You can find pictures of the baby here. http://picasaweb.google.com/bart.taylor/Annabelle

AnnaBelle in the ICU

2007-12-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

Genny eating her first cupcake on her first birthday

2007-09-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Genny walking for the first time.

2007-07-23T14:32:00.000-07:00